Category: Thailand

Koh Tao is a little island in the gulf of Thailand filled with fun, exciting and unique activities to do.

If you would like to make your stay in Koh Tao memorable and adventurous, here is a list of things that you could do.

Get your scuba diving certification

Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn how to scuba dive so why not go ahead and become a scuba diver here?

There are over 70 dive schools here so a bit of reserch needs to be done when choosing where to dive

I went with Scubadoo dive center for a couple of reasons, biggest one being that they offer all 6 dives in the ocean, whereas most diving schools have the first 2 dives in a swimming pool.

If you are a complete beginner, you will have to do the open water course and this costs 9500 Baht, includes 6 dives over 3 days and you will be SSI certified for up to 18m

If you would just like to try scuba diving out, you can do a basic diver course, which costs 3500 Baht

It’s the first day of the open water course, and if you enjoy it and would like to get certified you can do the remaining 2 days and pay the difference

So it’s basically a trial with no commitments

If you complete your open water course and would like another challenge, most dives schools also offer an advanced open water

It’s 2 days long, you get 5 dives and you certify up to 30 meters, the price for this course is 8900, and you can only do it after you have completed an open water course

Once certified, you can go out for fun dives, at any dive school in Koh Tao and they are an average of 1800 Baht for 2 fun dives.

I would definitely recommend diving here (scubadookohtao.com) as there is no swim test, the instructors are very friendly and it’s just positive vibes all around !

Take a Muay Thai class

Muay Thai means Thai boxing and it’s the national sport of Thailand

It’s a combat stand up striking sport which uses fists, elbows and knees and feet.

Taking a Muay Thai class in Thailand is a great experience and allows you to get an enjoyable workout, have fun, meet people and try something new.

I did it in 2 different schools in Koh Tao as a complete beginner and whilst I really enjoyed both, there are a few differences that I noticed:

MONSOON GYM

Great if it’s your first time doing anything like this as they split everyone in 2 groups: absolute beginner where you learn the basics of Muay Thai

and another group with everyone else who has done it before.

It was my first time ever and it was great to learn the basics with other people who have also never done this sport before

There is also an ice bath that you can use, although it was unavailable the day that I was there I think it would be an amazing way to end the sessions.

PANKOM MUAY THAI

Unlike Monsoon, Pankom is outdoor which feels good to be surrounded by nature and locals walking past however it can get really hot

The 1.5h training session is like a circuit so you get to try a bit of everything including 5-10min long 1 to 1 sessions with the teachers 2 or 3 times.

This one is good if you have done a beginner session before and you know the basics as Muay Thai, as there is a specific technique for everything.

The teachers here were also really funny and great to work with

WOrth it?

Absolutely! The beauty of travelling is being able to try new things that you wouldn’t be able to do as easily (and cheaply) back home

Both of these classes costed 300Baht for a 1.5h training session

By taking these classes as an absolute beginner you can try something new that you have never tried before,

and it is also a great way to meet new people.

These 2 places are 9 minutes away from eachother, and are both about a 5 min walk to Sairee beach

Therefore a dip in the water would definitely be a good idea, I did this with the other backpackers I met at the class

Flying trapeze class

This was again my first time doing anything like this and I found it to be very accomodating for complete beginners as well as the more advanced

I’m going to be honest… this was very scary for me and is not something I would recommend doing if you are terrified of heights.

The 1.5h class costs 1500 Baht and runs at 9am and 4pm, you can sign up through the website here and pay in cash when you arrive

It was definitely a step outside of my comfort zone and I’m so glad that I went for it

Your first flying trapeze class will consist of learning to hang upside down and towards the end you will also have the opportunity to get caught by a catcher

This is also another great way to meet people and something I loved here is how supportive everyone was

Yoga class

Mabye Muay Thai and Trapeze class is a bit too much for you and you need something more chill?

Well there is a yoga retreat close to Sairee Beach. You can choose to to stay here but you can also simply take the individual classes.

It’s called Blue Chitta, (bluechitta.com) and they have various yoga classes and workshop throughout the day

The classes are 300Bath and workshops are 600Baht

I did the Ice Bath and breathing workshop and it was AMAZING.

Again, my first time doing anything like this.

I found it crazy how much your breathing can affect you as I started to feel sleepy after some of the breathing exercises.

And the ice bath was definitely a challenge, I managed to make it to 5 minutes the second time round

and the teacher was always so supportive helping me with my breathing and giving continuous encouragement

Again, this was a fantastic way to meet like minded people, I also ended up paying 300Bath to join the vegan buffet dinner that they had on that evening.

Visit freedom beach and hike to John-Suwan view point

Freedom beach is a small scenic beach located in the south coast of Koh Tao with clear water and beautiful views

Entrance fee is 50Baht, this includes entrance to Freedom beach, Taatoh Beach and the viewpoint

It also includes parking (as this is a beach resort), sunbeds at freedom beach, and showers

The beach is a beautiful place to relax but if you are planning to go for a swim I recommend taking water shoes or sandals as I got a few cuts from the sharp rocks and a few crab bites

To get to the viewpoint from the beach is about a 15 minute hike, I would recommend doing this for sunset as the views were amazing

You should also wear a good pair of shoes or sandals for this (I wore my Teva hurricane sandals)

Because towards the end there is a bit of a climb with ropes to help you and it gets very rocky.

However the views are 100% worth the struggle to get up there, oh and make sure you bring plenty of mosquito repellant with you!!

Take part in a snorkelling tour

Koh Tao is full of beautiful snorkeling spots however they are located all around the island.

The easiest way to get to see all of them is by doing a snorkeling tour.

A lot of the time you will be able to book these through your hostel, the biggest companies are oxygen tours and diamond tour.

I did mine through oxygen tour, the morning tour was 550 Baht and I think it was completely worth the money

as it includes 5 stops, snorkels, pickup and drop off, insurance, lunch, water and hot drinks, and also underwater photography.

However there are also extra charges: you will have to pay 250Baht entrance fees for the first location, and if you would like to rent fins that would be an additional 200 Baht, but they are both optional.

THIS IS WHAT YOUR DAY WILL LOOK LIKE

(For the oxygentour morning snorkel trip around Koh Tao and Nang Yuan Island)

• Between 9-9.40 am you will get picked up from your hostel, tour starts at 10am
• STOP 1– Nang Yuan Island, these are 3 islands connected by 2 beaches. You will spend 2 hours here so you can snorkel, sunbathe and also do a viewpoint hike to Koh Nang with beautiful views at the top
• TO NOTE: you are not allowed to take fins or water shoes in with you as they are trying to preserve the corals. You are also not allowed plastic water bottles, however you can take reusable ones or there are places to buy water in here.

• STOP 2– Snorkeling around Mangobay, you get 30minutes here and you can see lots of cute fishes and colorful corals
• STOP 3- Hinwong bay, Did I mention that the boat has a jumping platform and 2 slides? Well here and stop 4 are deep enough to jump and slide so you can have fun with these or snorkel for 30 minutes… or both!!!

• STOP 4- Aow Leuk bay– here you will get 30 minutes again to swim in crystal clear water and explore the fishes or have fun jumping off the boat
• STOP 5- Shark Bay– this was my absolute favorite spot because if you’re lucky enough you get to see turtles and we got really lucky. Seeing the VERY BIG turtles whilst snorkeling was such a unique and beautiful experience!

Rent a motobike and go beaches and to a snorkelling spot

If you don’t want to go from place to place to go snorkelling, you can pick one place and spend more time there

My big recommendation is Tanote Bay, located on the east coast of Koh Tao

This because the beach is beautiful and the bay is surrounded by big hills, big rocks in and outside of the water, has beautiful reefs and you can also see a lot of different fishes

You can rent snorkels here, there will be a sign saying snorkel rental at the restaurant on your left as you walk in.

It costs 100Baht and you will need to return it by 6pm, if not you will have to pay for another day.

You will also have to leave a deposit of either 1000Baht, a form of ID or keys.

The easiest way to get here is by moto bike which you can rent in Koh Tao for 24h for as cheap as 200Baht for 24h, usually you will have to leave a deposit of either a passport or 4000Baht.

However beware that like a lot of the bays on this island, the road down to get to the bay is very steep so do not ride a motobike here if you are not confident

Are you in the south of Thailand and looking for a break from beaches, an experience of a lifetime, natural beauty, a night in floating bungalows and adventurous activities?

Then you should definitely add Khao Sok to your bucket list!

I booked my overnight tour through Coco hostel, so that’s what I’ll be talking about in this blog.

However almost all the hostels in Khao Sok do the same exact or very similar tours so the hostel you book with doesn’t necessarily matter.

I definitely recommend that you book at least one night stay at your hostel for the day before your tour

this because the tour starts at 9am therefore you want to be ready for the early morning start.

photos- @a11isaa on Instagram

How much it costs

The overnight tour costs 2,500 Baht per person

However this doesn’t exactly include everything as when you get on the bus you will also have to pay:

• 200 Baht for national park entrance fees
• 40 Baht for pier maintenance

Therefore the total you will have to pay for the two days here is 2,740 Thai Baht (around £60)

What’s included?

• 4 meals: lunch and dinner on day one and breakfast and lunch on day two, also unlimited filtered water
• all of your transport starting at coco hostel and arriving back at coco hostel (or whatever hostel you decide to book with)
• insurance
• accomodation at the floating bungalows
• all of the activities you will be doing here

To do the morning of your Khao Sok tour:

You need to pack an overnight bag (packing list below) and you are able to leave your big backpack/suitcase in a room at the hostel.

If you have any valuables that you don’t want to bring with you such as passport, laptops etc. there are also lockers where you can put these- you will need your own padlock.

Make sure that you check out of your hostel room and return your towel and keycard so you can get your deposit back.

What to bring with you

Like I mentioned earlier you will have to pack a small bag for the trip and leave your big bag at the hostel

My main tip is don’t overpack, so here is a list to help you:

• extra money for the market stop- here you can buy snacks and you may have to buy a headlamp if you do not already have one-they cost about 100 Baht
• a copy of your passport on your phone as you will have to fill out an insurance form which will require your passport number

• clothes for swimming, hiking/sports clothes and a change of clothes for day 2
• a plastic bag to but wet or dirty clothes inside of
• water shoes if you are going to be doing the cave swimming, I had a pair of Teva hurricane sandals and they were perfect as you need to hike through the jungle to get to the caves

• mosquito repellant spray/cream
• sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
• phone charger/power bank as there are charging points in the eating area
• money if you want to buy drinks (water is free)

Program/itinerary

DAY 1

• 9am- depart Coco hostel in Khao Sok and get on the bus, you will stop at Takhun market for only about 15 minutes and then continue to Rajaparaba
• 12pm get on the 1h long longtail boat along Guilin scenic area to get to the bungalows
• 1pm- arrive at the floating bungalows, have a Thai lunch and then free time to relax by the bungalows/ swim in the lake

• 2.30pm- leave for the jungle hike and cave swim, however the cave could also be a waterfall or a viewpoint depending on your guide
• 7pm- get back to the bungalows
• 7.30pm- eat dinner, get a talk about what will be happening the following day and chill time, we played card games and mafia

DAY 2

• 6am- we decided to wakeup early to watch sunrise, you obviously don’t have to but I really recommend this as it looked beautiful
• 7am- morning wildlife safari on longtail boat
• 8am- breakfast
• 8.30am- free time to relax and swim, there are also kayaks you can use but there only about 2 for the whole group
• 10am- leave, on the way stop at a picnic spot and eat fried rice for lunch
• 2pm- arrive back at the hostel

Honest opinions

Now let’s talk about whether or not I found this tour worth the money:

Pros

So on one hand I found it absolutely amazing, to spend 2 days completely immersed in nature, with no service, amazing views and amazing people.

The activities we did were also really exciting. The jungle was really unique and it was also my first time going into a cave which made it even more exciting

So the activities that you do here you wouldn’t really do anywhere else in Thailand

And also the views from the bungalows were stunning, the relaxation time where we swam by the lake was so peaceful

Cons

However on the other hand, although I got to meet a lot of great people, the group was REALLY big.

During the morning safari it didn’t really matter as we all split up in different longtail boats.

However during the jungle hike it was almost impossible to hear what the tour guide was saying as I was at the back of the group.

Having such a big group also meant that it was harder to bond with people, as it felt easier to create our own little groups.

Something else which needs to be mentioned is that although this tour is advertised as a 2 day tour, on the first day you get to the bungalows at 1pm and on the second day you leave at 10am.

That’s more like 2 half days, and you don’t get enough time at the bungalows in my opinion, everything feels a little bit rushed.

Even when we had free time it didn’t feel like long as we had to either hurry to get changed for the jungle trek or pack our bags to leave.

Conclusion

On a whole I do not regret doing this Khao Sok tour in the slightest:

It was an amazing experience and I especially recommend it if you are a nature lover like me

You get to spend your days with like minded people and it’s a chance to disconnect.

Yes, it costed £60 which could be seen as a lot for someone who is backpacking Thailand however you’re spending this money on an EXPERIENCE!

First of all I would like to highlight that I stayed in Krabi Ao Nang, which is a beach resort town

Where as Krabi Town is a more local with less tourists, but also with less things to do.

Therefore if you are after socializing, beach days and island trips, Ao Nang is definitely the place for you.

WHERE TO STAY

If you are looking for a social but not party hostel, which offers social events and activities, K-Bunk Central is the perfect place for you.

I spent 6 nights here and never got bored as they have social events in the evenings such as bingo, quizzes and even fire shows.

If you enjoy partying they also have free pub crawls every day where they go to 3 different bars.

If you are however looking to relax they have a swimming pool, a tv with Netflix, beach chairs outside and a pool table.

My personal favorite? The activities that they offer:

7 island boat trip

• every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
• from 1-8pm.
• This costs 1200 Baht and includes national park fees, snorkels, drinking water and a sunset BBQ

Kayaking day trip

• every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• from 2.30-8pm
• This costs 600 Baht and includes kayaking in the secret lagoon, enjoying sunset at the beach and visiting the landmark night market

Visit Ao Nang Beach and the markets

Ao Nang beach is just a 10 minute walk from k-bunk hostel and on the way there you will go past a lot of shops where you can buy things such as bikinis, bags, beach towels, water poof phone case and everything in between.

I would especially recommend to go to this beach if you arrive before 2pm which is the usual check in time for hostels around here.

Its a great way to relax and rest from your travel journey and it is really easy to get to.

Visit Railay Beach

The only way to get here from Krabi Ao Nang is to get a 15 minute longtail boat as Railay id surrounded by cliffs.

Boats run all day and the last one is at about 6pm.

Tickets costs 100Baht each way so if you’re only going for a day you can purchase a 200Baht return boat ticket from the stand outside the beach.

You can stay here for the full day as there are restaurants where you can get food and drinks.

You can also get Thai massages here, however it is 500Baht for a Thai massage, double the price of what they would be in Ao Nang.

Watch a fire show

If you get the last long tail boat at 6pm, you are probably going to get to Ao Nang beach just in time for sunset.

I suggest you stay here and take a seat on the stairs in front of the beach as there is a fire show everyday here at around 6.30

It’s honestly really impressive and although you don’t have to pay to watch, you can tip them for their hard work

Monkey trail hike

Feeling a bit adventurous, but also need some relaxation at the end of your adventure and you want to see some cute monkeys?

Then the monkey trail hike is perfect for you as the starting point is just a 15 minute walk away from K-Bunk central.

The hike itself is also not too hard as it only takes 10/15 minutes to walk the wooden stairs through the forest area.

It’s called monkey trail because you will encounter a lot of monkey on your way up there.

Although you can feed them, I wouldn’t recommend to as they will probably end up jumping on you to get the food.

Also keep your belongings such as backpacks safe as they can also try to get these.

I mentioned relaxation earlier right? Well this trail leads to Pai Plong Beach, a very quite, uncrowded and beautiful private beach.

Because it is a private beach you will have to sign when you arrive and out when you leave but apart from that you will have a pretty quite beach to enjoy

Tiger cave temple hike

The 15 minute monkey trail hike wasn’t challenging enough for you and you need something more intense?

Then you should definitely do the tiger cave temple hike.

This is a Buddhist temple, also known as Wat Tham Suea and it is located in the north of Krabi Town.

Therefore if you are staying in Krabi Ao Nang I suggest you either:

• share a taxi with a group of people, it’s a bout a 30min drive

• If it’s just one or two people, you can rent a moto bike and bike there, it also takes around 30 minutes to get here.

I suggest doing this hike just before sunset as the views are absolutely stunning there.

It is made of 1260 (very steep) steps and takes 30-40 minutes to complete, depending on how fast you go.

Also bear in mind that there will be a lot monkeys during the first third of this hike

therefore keep your belongings safe as they are known for pickpocketing to find food/water in peoples bags.

I personally found the hike very difficult however the views from the top are absolutely beautiful and 100% worth the steep steps.

Because of the Thai humidity you will find this hike extra hard so make sure that you bring enough water and wear comfortable clothing and footwear.

Day trip to the emerald pool

They are locates a bit further out than all the other activities so if you are trying to avoid long journeys, I suggest you skip this.

The emerald pool and the Blue pool are two crystal clear pools and entry costs 400 Baht

You are not allowed to being food inside past the entrance however you can buy food at the stalls and restaurants before you enter.

There are also drinks, snacks and ice cream shops inside.

Once you get in you can rent a small locker for 20 Baht where you can keep your valuables safe.

To get here you can either:

• go with organised tour
• book a taxi if you have multiple people
• rent a moto bike from K-bunk hostel which costs 250Baht for 24h

It will roughly take 1 hour and 20 minutes to get here from Ao Nang.

Did I find it worth it? Not really as the only thing to do here was relax, something I could have done at the beaches in Ao Nang.

However the water in this pool is slightly warmer and could be an overall cool experience if you want a change of scenery.

It’s also surrounded by beautiful nature and you can go on a couple of forest walks

If you are planning to go backpack around south east Asia, Bangkok is probably where you will be starting, as this is where all the cheap flights land.

Although Bangkok is very big and busy, I urge you not to skip it, but rather to spend a couple of days here to experience the city life before hopping on to a bus/train/plane to your next destination.

Where to stay?

Choosing your accommodation during a backpacking trip is a very important step in making sure that you have a good overall experience.

I recommend staying at Khao San Social hostel for a number of different reasons:

Firstly as it says in the name, it’s a social hostel.

The staff and volunteers are very friendly and they have social hours and activities like yoga everyday on the rooftop balcony where you can meet other solo travelers.

The location is also great as it is close to Khao San Road, however not too close that you can hear the loud music from the bars.

Visit some temples

Bangkok is very well known for its famous temples.

If you would like to visit multiple temples in one day. I would recommend these two as they are really close to each other:

10  minutes walking between each other including a short ferry to cross the river which costs only 5 Baht. 

• Wat Pho- the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok, entry is 300 Baht
• Wat Arun- famous for its unique and beautiful decorations, entry is100 Baht

Bear in mind that you need to dress modestly when visiting temples. So tops that cover your shoulders and long trousers/skirts.

However you could just bring a sarong to cover your shoulders/knees which is what I did.

A lot of times you will also need to take your shoes off to be able to enter some temples

So I would recommend wearing sandals that you can easily take off and put back on.

I would also recommend doing this in the morning as they can get quite crowded in the afternoon, so by the time you have finished visiting it will be time from lunch.

You can then head over to a nearby market for some Thai street food. Wang Lang market is just a 20 minute walk from Wat Arun and  has an amazing selection of Thai foods.

Long tail boat tour

This was definitely my favorite thing that I did in Bangkok, and you don’t even need to book in advance.

You just need to head over to the port opposite Wat Arun, but dont cross to go to Wat Arun, instead look for the sign that says ‘boat tour’

It was 4 of us so we all payd 550 Baht each for 1 hour and 15 minutes. So if it was just one person it would be 2200 Baht

However the boat was big, you could fit up to 10 people so the more people you go with, the cheaper it will be.

During the 1 hour and 15 minutes you will go past various temples, beautiful scenery and the highlight is that at the end of it you will also go past the giant, gold “Big Buddha” which is the tallest statue in Thailand

However my favorite part was going past the slums along the river where the locals live.

This is because I got to see the parts of Bangkok that tourists wouldn’t usually see.

I loved how extremely happy and friendly all of these locals were to see us,  always smiling and waving at us as we went past.

We also got free water bottles on arrival and got to feed bread to the fishes which was fun!

Get a Thai massage

I did this on my last day in Bangkok and it felt so good and relaxing to unwind after such busy days of travel.

There are actually quite a few different types of massages you can do and here below are the average prices.

The main difference between Thai massages and oil massages is that instead of using oils and lotions to be gentle.

Thai massage incorporates stretching and pulling and using hands to rub the body which can then help to relieve tension or pain

Another difference is that with oil massage you need to take your clothes off, whereas for Thai massages you are usually clothed.

The place I went to is called “Shewa spa”  and they actually provide clothing for you. I had an overall good experience here and I would really recommend it 

Try the street food

Street foods in Bangkok range from 60 to 100 Baht and are honestly so delicious.

My personal favorite dish is called Pad Thai and its a stir fried rice noodle dish.

If you’re on a budget I recommend you to eat where the locals eat.

A lot of these places don’t have a really big menu but it gives you an authentic Thai experience.

If you would like to try a lot of things I would recommend food markets:

they have so many options of Thai foods  and a lot of them are small snacks that you can eat on the go  so you can try a lot.